news from ekklesia

news from ekklesia

By staff writers

23 Jan 2004

Gibson Passion film criticised by American Jewish Committee

-23/1/04

The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson's soon-to-be released film about the last 12 hours of Jesus' life, represents a disturbing setback to the achievements in Christian-Jewish relations over the past 40 years, the American Jewish Committee has said.

The news comes just after the Vatican confirmed that John Paul II has seen the film but as yet has made no official comment on it.

Foremost among the problems that have been identified in the film is the inclusion of verse 27:25 from Matthewís gospel, a verse which has been interpreted as blaming the Jews for Jesus' death. Such an interpretation however was repudiated by Vatican II in 1965.

AJC's interreligious ìexpertsî viewed the film earlier in the week and emerged deeply troubled by its anti-Jewish elements and potential for polarisation among people of different faiths.

"The film reasserts offensive stereotypes about Jews that Catholic and Protestant leaders have overwhelmingly rejected," said David Elcott, AJC's U.S. director of interreligious affairs, who viewed the film in Chicago.

"The movie undermines the sense of community that has existed between Jews and Christians for decades in its unnecessary and destructive imagery of Jews. This film makes it more important than ever for like-minded Christians and Jews to reassert their dedication to promoting interfaith harmony, the hallmark of U.S. religious life," he added.

The deicide charge was not present in an earlier version of the film, viewed by Rabbi James Rudin, AJC's senior interreligious adviser. AJC urges Gibson and others working on the film to reconsider this addition before the movie is released on February 25.

"The presentation of alleged culpability of Jews - and their 'primary responsibility' for the crucifixion of Jesus - has been the core problem of all Passion Plays since their inception during the Middle Ages," Rudin said.

Gibson Passion film criticised by American Jewish Committee

-23/1/04

The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson's soon-to-be released film about the last 12 hours of Jesus' life, represents a disturbing setback to the achievements in Christian-Jewish relations over the past 40 years, the American Jewish Committee has said.

The news comes just after the Vatican confirmed that John Paul II has seen the film but as yet has made no official comment on it.

Foremost among the problems that have been identified in the film is the inclusion of verse 27:25 from Matthewís gospel, a verse which has been interpreted as blaming the Jews for Jesus' death. Such an interpretation however was repudiated by Vatican II in 1965.

AJC's interreligious ìexpertsî viewed the film earlier in the week and emerged deeply troubled by its anti-Jewish elements and potential for polarisation among people of different faiths.

"The film reasserts offensive stereotypes about Jews that Catholic and Protestant leaders have overwhelmingly rejected," said David Elcott, AJC's U.S. director of interreligious affairs, who viewed the film in Chicago.

"The movie undermines the sense of community that has existed between Jews and Christians for decades in its unnecessary and destructive imagery of Jews. This film makes it more important than ever for like-minded Christians and Jews to reassert their dedication to promoting interfaith harmony, the hallmark of U.S. religious life," he added.

The deicide charge was not present in an earlier version of the film, viewed by Rabbi James Rudin, AJC's senior interreligious adviser. AJC urges Gibson and others working on the film to reconsider this addition before the movie is released on February 25.

"The presentation of alleged culpability of Jews - and their 'primary responsibility' for the crucifixion of Jesus - has been the core problem of all Passion Plays since their inception during the Middle Ages," Rudin said.